First Week of Advent, Wednesday: To Hope Once More

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

In December stillness

prayers reach down

into darkness

like winter roots.

Underground they

grow branches and

weave shadow nests

for the winged life

of our dreams.  

     -Ellen Grace O’Brian

Our ability to be open and hopeful is directly related to our willingness to trust God,  truth that our Higher Power is, indeed, abundantly good. Perhaps we have trained ourselves not to hope or not to expect too much and thus avoid the disappointments that seem to inevitably come. In order to protect ourselves from the suffering of disappointment, it may seem safer not to risk hoping. Yet we pay for that kind of safety with our joy and our enthusiasm for life. It takes tremendous effort to continually dampen down the Spirit within which hope ever rises.

Hope is essential to our spiritual journey. It is the way our innate yearning to realize God is expressed. Within us all is the deepest hope to know eternal life, experience unconditional joy, and be completely aware. To hope to know and experience life, joy, and awareness without limits and conditions is to yearn to realize our essential unbounded Self. It is our yearning to know God. Paramahansa Yogananda explained that we must want God with such intensity that we feel we cannot wait another day. Yet, if the realization does not come, we must be willing to wait with fervent hope. 

Advent invites us to consider opening ourselves to hope once again, to dream dreams in the darkness to be celebrated in the light, to be ready to enter the mystery which surrounds us, to lose our old self and to find our essential Self anew.

Practice: To hope is to expect, to anticipate, or look forward to. Cultivate a hopeful attitude based on the assumption that there is a Power for good in this universe and that you are choosing to cooperate with It. Feel that Life supports you. Expect that divine grace, God’s freely given support, is at work in your life in seen and unseen ways. Notice what it is like to consciously choose to be hopeful.

Contemplate:

To hope means to be ready

At every moment

For that which is not yet born,

And yet not become desperate

If there is no birth in our lifetime.

There is no sense in hoping

For that which already exists

Or for that which cannot be.

Those whose hope is weak

Settle down for comfort or for violence;

Those whose hope is strong

See and cherish all signs of new life

And are ready every moment

To help the birth

Of that which is ready to be born.

    -Erich Fromm from The Revolution of Hope

Reflect: What does hope mean to you? Is it a part of your life today?
Ask yourself: Can I allow myself to be truly hopeful?

First Week of Advent, Tuesday: The Cosmic Christ

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

The spiritual message of Christmas is the call for all people to awaken to their divine identity. A child is born! A new life is given to us as we are born in the spirit of truth, of love, and of freedom, as we awaken to our essential nature.

This new life has requirements and makes demands upon us. We must be willing to grow, to open our hearts and our minds and release old ideas that are not consistent with truth. Paramahansa Yogananda said, “To bring divine awareness into our human consciousness we must outgrow the limited conventional concept of Christ.” The limited conventional concept of Christ would have us believe that Jesus alone represents the Christ of God. Some even imagine that Christ is Jesus’ last name. The limited view suggests that the coming of Christ is purely an historical event which we celebrate at Christmas, December 25^th , a day designated as Jesus’ birthday.

For many Christians, the word Christ is synonymous with Jesus and refers to the Messiah prophesized in the Hebrew Scriptures. The word Christ literally means the Anointed one, one who is sanctified through the anointing of oil. The mystical meaning of this anointing is the revelation of divine truth which brings the liberation of consciousness from all limiting belief systems. The revelation of spiritual truth is often accompanied by an energetic opening of the crown chakra—thus a mystical “anointing” coincides with awakening to the omnipresent inner Christ. The omnipresent Christ is the life of God within us all that includes all. Paramahansaji noted, “Jesus was born in a little crib, but the Christ Spirit is omnipresent.”

Christ is not a person, but a principle, a universal expression of spiritual Truth. This principle was fully realized and manifested in the life of Jesus. His life and teachings demonstrate the light of Christ consciousness, the anointed of God, the Self- and God-realized man. What can we see when we read the scriptural accounts and when we contemplate his awakened consciousness? We can see the evidence of unconditional love and unadulterated and uncompromising Truth.

When we are of the Christ mind, we recognize our divine origin, birth, and nature. We recognize it in every one. Awakening to Christ consciousness is beholding the One in all.

Practice:

Enter into meditation by turning your attention within and acknowledging God’s omnipresence. Inwardly affirm that you are meditating in God, know that the life of God is expressing as you.

Once your attention has become interiorized, direct it to the root chakra at the base of your spine. Step by step, move your attention up through each of the energy centers—from the root to the second center below the navel, to the third below the diaphragm, the fourth opposite the heart, the fifth at the throat, the sixth at the spiritual eye (between and above the eyebrows) and then let your awareness rest at the crown chakra, just beyond the top of the head.

As you conclude your meditation, take a few moments to feel, or imagine light or energy emanating from your crown chakra. Imagine, feel, and affirm that the inner Light of Christ Consciousness is permeating your mind and body. Affirm that you are spiritually awake and established in truth. Before you end your session, share your experience of peace, and well-being with others. With your intention and your thoughts, send forth the energy of loving-kindness to people everywhere. Inwardly agree to behold the One in all as you go about the activity of your day.

Contemplate:

It is of utmost importance to all people, whatever their religion, that they experience within themselves this “birth” of the Universal Christ.   
–Paramahansa Yogananda

The historical Jesus was one man, and Christ is not his last name. The Christ includes the whole sweep of creation and history joined with him—and you too. We call this the Cosmic Christ.

–Fr. Richard Rohr

Reflect:

Are there ideas that I hold about the Christ that I must outgrow? Am I open to a new understanding? What does a new understanding require of me?

First Week of Advent, Monday: Possibility

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

It’s been awhile since I set up a nativity scene in our home during Advent. Over the decades, a few nativity sets have come and gone—some broke and were discarded, others were lost in moves, and some may have disappeared into the nether realms of the attic. This year I decided to purchase a new one online. After wading through a wide assortment, I selected one that includes the animals mentioned in scripture as well as the central figures of Mary, Joseph, the infant Jesus, angels, shepherds, and wisemen.

The qualities that each figure in the nativity can represent, including all of the animals, has always captured my attention. To consider the nativity scene as a symbolic out-picturing of our own inner qualities, can be inspiring and bring surprising insights.

When the nativity scene arrived and I unpacked it piece by piece, I was delighted with the artistry of the figures. When I got to the last compartment and removed a little standing lamb, I noticed that its back leg had broken in transit. It would have been easy enough to send it back. But as I held the tiny figure, I was aware that I did not want to return it. I wanted to repair it. With a little carpenter’s glue, some careful alignment and pressure, the lamb was once again able to stand. I placed it on my desk to dry. There it remains, waiting to join the others when the crèche is put together.

I am not sure why the lamb with the broken leg appealed to me. Yet, I know that it can be useful to simply follow the heart, do what it prompts, and then pay careful attention to what is revealed. As I was repairing the lamb’s leg, I remembered a story about the Indian sage Ramakrishna Paramahansa, who served as the temple priest at Dakshineswar. When another priest was moving the image of Krishna, he accidently dropped it and broke one of the legs. The local Pandits were asked for their advice about what to do since it was considered inappropriate to worship the divine in a damaged image. They recommended that the broken image be discarded in the Ganges and a new one be created for the temple. When Ramakrishna was consulted, he pointed out that if one’s child had a broken leg, it would be natural to seek healing, not to look for another child. He encouraged them to approach this situation in the same way and to repair the statue. Although the Pandits were skeptical, Ramakrishna himself repaired the statue so skillfully that the break was not apparent and the statue was restored to its former function.

One of the great promises of the advent of the Christ consciousness is healing. The ego limits, divides, and turns away from imperfection but the Christ consciousness reveals wholeness and brings healing in the midst of brokenness. What was once considered impossible becomes possible with God. During the days of Advent, we can cultivate a greater receptivity to healing.  

Practice:
Set aside some contemplative time to view a representation of the nativity. Instead of seeing the scene as depicting something historical or even mythological, explore it as symbolic of your own wholeness, containing qualities that exist within us all. This contemplation of nativity scenes can be done with three dimensional sets, with art images in books or online, or through our imagination as we read scriptural accounts of the Christmas story. 

As you contemplate the nativity scene, look at each part individually. What do you notice?  What comes to your mind? What feelings are present? See if there is any part of the scene that particularly captures your attention. Be curious about it. Write about it.

Contemplate:
Christ has ever abided in me. He has preached through my consciousness to all my rowdy and hypocritical thoughts…I was mentally blind, my will was lame; but I was healed by the awakened Christ in me. 
 –Paramahansa Yogananda

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
–Isaiah 11.5-6

Reflect:
Am I open to healing? Are there situations, relationships, or conditions in my life to be healed or transformed?

First Week of Advent, Sunday: The Art of Waiting

In the Heart of Winter:  A Meditator’s Guide to Advent
First Sunday of Advent

Today begins the intentional discipline of faithful waiting—cultivating a positive expectancy that heightens our sensitivity to life. Working with the symbols of Advent is a useful way to experience greater spiritual depth in the days before us.

So much in our Western culture encourages more activity during the days leading up to Christmas. This particular weekend is heralded as the greatest shopping days of the year. What a stark contrast to the inner call to contemplation. People camp out in front of shops to be the first in line when the store opens at midnight. Shop, correspond with family and friends, complete year end projects at the office, plan special meals, attend parties and music performances, decorate your home and on it goes. It is no wonder that so many arrive at Christmas weary of all of the activity, hype, and lack of substance that truly inspires. Yet, when approached with spiritual discipline, these days hold great promise that can enrich not only our inner life but our time of festivity with family and friends as well. We don’t have to choose either contemplation or activity. A spiritual focus can help us set the right priorities.

Let us begin with the commitment to engage in contemplation during this time, deepen our meditation practice, and reflect on the universal spiritual themes that this season of divine revelation can offer. Along with your regular time of prayer and meditation, use these daily guides to explore the spiritual meaning of this season. Approach it with anticipation of divine grace unfolding.

Practice:

Many of us these days are not so skilled at waiting. We are used to speed and become impatient with slow computers or long checkout lines. We want what we want now because our minds are already on to the next thing. The art of waiting is the skill of remaining in the moment, right where we are and considering that moment precious. How do we do that? We do it by watching and witnessing when our attention wanders off into some imagined future. When our thoughts veer into the future, we miss the present moment. Now becomes nothing more than a link between where we are and where we want to be. But now is where life is; it is where God is to be found, where we can truly connect with ourselves and with another. The good news is that when we notice our attention running from the now, we are already stepping back in to being present. Just notice that. Then notice your breath. Imagine that whatever the moment is, that moment is alive with God. This is the art of waiting.

Contemplate:

Waiting patiently in expectation is the foundation of the spiritual life.
—Simone Weil

Now yoga (conscious oneness) is explained. Yoga is experienced when thought activity is restrained. The seer then abides in its own (divine) nature.  

—Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 1.1-3

Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.

—Matthew 24:42

Reflect:

- How willing am I to remain in the moment?

- What must I let go of in order to be fully here?

In the Heart of Winter: A Meditator's Guide to Advent

. Advent posts begin Sunday, November 27.

In the Heart of Winter:

A Meditator’s Guide to Advent

Daily Guides for Contemplation during the Holy Days

By Rev. Ellen Grace O'Brian

 As with the shepherds on the hillside, the shepherds of man’s faith, devotion, and meditation will be bathed in the light of realization and lead those devotees who are humble in spirit to behold the infinite presence of Christ newborn within them.

–Paramahansa Yogananda

Day Forty-Eight: Prove the Principles in Your Life

A student of the great yoga master Paramahansa Yogananda who was struggling to accomplish a difficult task said to Paramahansaji, “It is easy for you, because you are a spiritual master.” Yogananda replied, “How do you think I became a master?”  Instead of giving in to the student’s implied suggestion that he was somehow not as equipped to meet the challenges of life, Paramahansaji pointed him back to his essential nature, reminding him that the same potential exists within us all and it is up to us to develop it. Spiritual philosophy, principles, and practices are the tools that we use to develop our innate divine potential, to bring it into full expression. When we consider the lives of most of the saints and sages, the great mystics and healers of all times, we can see that they too went through a process of spiritual development in which they proved the principles in their lives. How did any of the great ones become great? By putting into practice what they learned.

A student studying mathematics must not only get the right answer, but must also recognize how he or she arrived at that answer. Then the principle can be applied beyond that one experience. Spiritual principles are not different. To fully realize the benefit of our study and practice we must discover how the beneficial changes we experience are brought about. Then we can apply it in other areas of life. Or, if we fall short of the goal, we must discern what the cause of our failure was so that we can correct it. This is the key to mastery.

For spiritual practices to be of real benefit we must consistently apply them, study the results, discern the elements involved and make any needed course correction. Success is a matter of dedication, application, observation, and perseverance. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra states that our progress on the spiritual path will reflect the intensity of our practice—whether it is mild, medium, or intensive (Sutra 1.22). Paramahansa Yogananda similarly affirmed that our spiritual evolution can be accelerated through concentrated endeavor.

Think About It: Results from a study that observed the brains and behaviors of monkeys to discern the effects of environment on learning revealed that success has a stronger influence overall on learning. MIT professor of neuroscience Earl K. Miller, the senior author of the study reported:

There have been a lot of studies about how the brain learns, but there is very little understanding about how feedback from the environment guides learning, and that's critical because that's the way we learn. We learn from the consequences of our actions…We found that neurons in the prefrontal cortex and the striatum, two brain areas known to be involved in learning, keep track of recent successes and failures for many seconds, long enough for it to play a role in guiding the learning the next time an opportunity to learn comes up. The second thing we found was that the neural processing in the brain improves after a recent success and doesn't improve much after a recent failure.

–from abcnews.com

Be Inspired: Practice is extremely intensive when nonessential matters are disregarded and attention and actions are concentrated on the purposes to be accomplished. 
-Roy Eugene Davis 

Day Forty-seven: How to Have More Energy

It is heartening to experience abundant energy that allows us to live joyously and accomplish our worthy goals. Some people are naturally energetic, seeming to overflow with energy from early in the morning to late at night. Others struggle to get up and get going, find their reserves low during the day and end the day feeling exhausted. While some of the differences in energy reserves may be due to factors such as constitutional type or states of physical or mental health, there are some insights and behaviors most people can utilize to experience more vitality. There are four things we can do that will enhance our energy: cultivate positive thoughts; meditate daily and consciously expand our energy; focus our attention, awareness and activity; and follow the guidelines for healthy, balanced living.

Our persistent thoughts affect our emotions, over-all well being, and energy levels. We can use our will to direct our thoughts in positive ways that are life and energy enhancing. It is not useful to affirm that we are tired, or not well. If such circumstances arise, it is better to take positive, corrective action while keeping thoughts elevated. When our thoughts are inspired and optimistic, we naturally experience more vigor. If we constantly tell ourselves that we are fatigued, that has the opposite effect. Such inner conversation doesn’t bring rest or revitalize the system, it only adds to the energy drain. We can use our thoughts to connect with the divine life and power within us and affirm from that perspective that we are strong, vital, energetic, and enthusiastic. This will invite more energy into the body, lift our mood, and help us be mentally clear so that useful choices for self care can be made.

The life and health enhancing benefits of regular superconscious meditation are well known today. While the stress reduction benefit alone will have a positive effect on energy levels, meditation with a spiritual focus is even more beneficial. When spiritually conscious meditation is practiced and stress is removed from the system, the flows of vital force, or subtle energy, are enhanced. To encourage this benefit, at the conclusion of meditation consciously invite energy into your mind and body. Simply use intention, or use visualization to imagine energy as light that fills your mind and body.

One of the most helpful practices for vital living is cultivating focused attention and awareness throughout the day. When we are focused and intentional, we are more efficient and also open to a greater influx of universal energy. Too much confusion and distraction scatters our energy and interrupts its flow. Intentional living is accomplished by having clear priorities, setting goals and systematically working towards them and keeping our attention focused on what is important to us.

There are many ways that vital force can be dissipated such as engaging in useless conversation, spending too much time with television or computer distractions, or becoming too involved in activities that are not supportive of our focus. Vital force is enhanced by intentional living, time spent in silence, positive communication, healthy activity and sufficient rest. Lifestyle guidelines recommended for healthy living—moderate eating, natural foods diet, a regular schedule of rest, recreation and activity, exercise, supportive relationships, meditation and meaningful work—all have a positive effect on our energy level. Adjustments in any of these areas can readily be accomplished.

At the heart of vital living is acting in accordance with our soul destiny, engaging in those thoughts and activities that are in alignment with the unfolding of our innate divine qualities. When the way that we live, day by day, is in harmony with what is most deeply meaningful to us, we naturally thrive.

Think About It: In second chapter on spiritual living in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra, he notes: When all thoughts and actions are fully conformed to one’s aspiration to be Self-realized, physical mental, and spiritual strength is acquired.

Be Inspired: Learn to keep your will strong—a calm will, not a nervous will—and your body will then be full of energy. It is by the power of will that you bring energy into the body and utilize it. Learn how to draw that energy not only from food and oxygen, but from the Infinite as well…

– Paramahansa Yogananda

Day Forty-Six: Living Love as Oneness

How do we seek God? By stopping, looking, and listening. By peering into the darkness of inner stillness and listening to the language of silence.  Then we discover that the Mystery is really no mystery at all, that it gladly and graciously reveals Its secrets to sincere and receptive hearts purely desiring truth. This is the great secret the saints are trying to tell us: Choose love. Live by love. Have the courage to claim your inheritance.

Waking up spiritually is like waking up from sleep. First there is an inner urge. An alarm bell goes off. Something happens that causes us to think more deeply about life, to question our beliefs about what is real or important. This alarm is a manifestation of God’s grace, that aspect of Divine Consciousness that is consciously striving to bring all souls back to Itself. With the support of God’s grace, our own efforts are quickened and we find it possible to persevere on the path. This is how spirituality evolves from possibility to actuality.

The spiritual path is universal because God is universal. It is not the possession of any one religion, vocation, class, or race. While there are infinite ways of living the awakened life, there are two key elements you will find in any true spiritual life: first, the primacy of one’s relationship with the divine Self or God; and, second, a virtuous way of living in the world. Although there is no causal relationship between moral behavior and enlightenment, there is a correlation. Enlightenment always supports right action, though one cannot “buy” God just by being good.

Because enlightenment is our true nature, you would think it should be possible to achieve it now, instantly. Nevertheless, in most cases, it is a matter of gradual awakening. It takes time. During the interval, spiritual teachings help support the striving devotee, acting as a hedge to keep out the intruding weeds of doubt and lethargy. Otherwise, following our initial wake up call or glimpse of truth, we tend to fall back into our old habits of forgetfulness. Spiritual teachings and spiritual company remind us to put one foot in front of the other, one thought in front of the other, until the goal of God consciousness is attained and the radiance of the divine Self shines unimpeded.

Spiritual wisdom is not something that comes from the outside, from a book, or even from a teacher. True wisdom emerges from the well of enlightened knowing within our own consciousness. The presence of a spiritual teacher, or truth teachings, can help us awaken from our slumber and remind us to keep on in our journey to the Self. But we each must make the journey ourselves. Knowing this, Yogananda advised those who desired Self‑realization to read a little, meditate more, and think about God all the time.

Many seekers reverse this formula, reading spiritual books as if enough information could bring about an enlightened condition, neglecting meditation or “trying it” with only sporadic efforts and results, and letting the mind be filled with worries instead of thinking about God. This is a sure way to remain a seeker and not a finder! Those who want to find God, undertake the daily divine discipline of looking within.

The spiritual life is difficult, but it is simple. What could be simpler than putting God first? It is difficult because we’re not in the habit of doing so. It becomes easier when, instead of becoming discouraged about our lack of progress, we simply say to ourselves, “This moment I will think of God.” We can all think of God this moment. And since life is a series of such moments, when all our moments are filled with God, then all our life is filled with God.

But even one thought of God requires faith, the ability to look through the unreal to perceive the Real. To look past hatred and see love, to look past separation and see unity, to look past loss and see gain—such are the ways of the spiritual warrior. Those who choose to live this way have dedicated themselves not only to bringing the light within themselves, but also to calling it forth in the world. This is compassion itself and the highest path of service—living love through acts of compassion and a pure vision of truth. 

Think About It: Astronomer Carl Sagan was deeply moved by the photo he saw of the earth taken by Voyager 1 as it sailed away from the earth. This is an excerpt of his now famous speech “The Pale Blue Dot”: We succeeded in taking that picture [from deep space], and, if you look at it, you see a dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever lived, lived out their lives. The aggregate of all our joys and sufferings, thousands of confident religions, ideologies and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilizations, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every hopeful child, every mother and father, every inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every superstar, every supreme leader, every saint and sinner in the history of our species, lived there on a mote of dust, suspended in a sunbeam.

Be Inspired: All that a man has here externally in multiplicity is intrinsically One. Here all blades of grass, wood and stone, all things are One. This is the deepest depth. —Meister Eckhart

Day Forty-Five: Simply Be

It can be easy for our lives to get out of balance, with too much emphasis on doing and not enough on simply being present to God, to our Higher True Self, and open to experiencing peace. Balance makes our life fruitful. Yet often we labor under the mistaken belief that if we just work harder, or longer, or more, we will accomplish what is needed and find our rest after. There is constant pressure to have and to be more through greater effort. But spiritual wisdom offers this paradoxical solution: the answer is not having more, or being more, but simply, more being. 

In the teachings of Jesus we find a beautiful invitation into spiritual consciousness when he says: “Come to me, all of you who labor and are heavily laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you will find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30) The invitation is to lift up our mind and rest in truth—the truth that we are not just physical beings working for a living, but spiritual beings—heirs to the kingdom of infinite possibility, infinite joy, and blessing. Grace, the transforming energy of divine consciousness that moves through all of life guiding and supporting us and moving us in the direction of fulfillment, is always present. When we cease our frantic pace and turn toward divine remembrance, we open our awareness to this gift.

Sometimes we have the good fortune, or good planning, to take time away from work and family responsibilities by going on a spiritual retreat. When such a delightful opportunity is not on our calendar and we need a break, how can we find more peace, be more skillful at being present in the midst of activity? The most useful thing we can do is listen. Attend to the gentle nudge of the soul that rises up for recognition during activity. When we listen, and follow, by taking a short break to simply breathe and be aware, we dip into eternity… and that brings renewal, in only a moment.

Think About It: Taking a rest break—while awake—can help strengthen memories, a new study suggests. The findings, which appear in the latest issue of the journal Neuron, expand our understanding of how memories are boosted. Previous studies had shown this process occurs during sleep, but not during times of awake rest.

“Taking a coffee break after class can actually help you retain that information you just learned,” explains Lila Davachi, an assistant professor in NYU’s Department of Psychology and Center for Neural Science, in whose laboratory the study was conducted. “Your brain wants you to tune out other tasks so you can tune in to what you just learned. Your brain is working for you when you’re resting, so rest is important for memory and cognitive function. This is something we don’t appreciate much, especially when today’s information technologies keep us working round-the-clock.” –posted on futurity.org

Be Inspired:

We are all great rivers

flowing to their end

Swirling inside us is the silt of ages
and creatures and lands
And rain that has fallen for
millions of years.
All this makes us cloudy
with mud
Unable to see God.
As we struggle for clarity
and the open sky
The Lord keeps saying
the same thing:
Come to me now and be blessed,
Come.

—Hafiz (from The Soul in Love, Deepak Chopra)

Day Forty-Four: Spiritual Awareness Can Enhance Every Relationship

When we are Self-aware, when we know ourselves as individualized expressions of the one Reality commonly called God, we know this truth about others, and about all of life as well. Even a little progress on this journey of awakening can enhance our lives and transform our relationships.

When firmly grounded in spiritual awareness, two intentions can be supportive of conscious living and make a positive difference in our interactions with others. These intentions are: (1) to inwardly recognize every person as an individualized expression of God and (2) to be supportive of everyone’s highest good—the fulfillment of their soul destiny to experience liberation of consciousness.

The intention to recognize everyone as an expression of God, to behold the One in all, calls the divine qualities within us such as compassion, wisdom, kindness or respect into expression. We can relate to others “soul to soul”, instead of “personality to personality” with its ego overlay.

This is a subtle shift that is very easy to practice. Simply acknowledge the One in all and inwardly agree that as you interact you are meeting and connecting with the other person spiritually. This practice accomplishes two helpful things right away and brings forth other benefits longer term. First, it creates an atmosphere of respect. Most people are sensitive to how we approach them. The atmosphere of respect that this inner orientation brings can go a long way to positively improve communication. The other immediate benefit is that by making this adjustment in consciousness, we cultivate an inner awareness that facilitates discipline in our interactions. We will naturally be more thoughtful and reflective before responding to another. This supports us in expressing our divine qualities, bringing out the best within us, and in others, too. As we do this, we feel better about ourselves, our relationships improve, and higher potentials begin to express through us. This simple practice of seeing the One in all also facilitates the activity of grace in our lives. When we have the intention to act with clear awareness, to think of God in all we do, we are better able to cooperate with divine will. Because we are not clinging to personal desires or reacting from conditioned patterns in the mental field, we can more readily be open to the prospering power of grace as it reveals itself through our relationships with others. In the long term, we discover ways in which divine will is actively expressed in our lives through our relationships with others. Our relationship with the Infinite comes to life in every interaction. A second powerful intention that enhances our relationships and supports our spiritual awakening is to commit to our own full enlightenment and to the full enlightenment of others. Wish for them the highest good, see them prospering in all ways, and celebrate their virtuous actions and successes. Do not focus on their short-comings or mistakes, or try to establish blame when mistakes occur. Instead, inwardly affirm that every person is divinely supported and innately whole. See the best in them and call it forth in your awareness. When we commit to the full enlightenment and empowerment of ourselves and others, it supports letting go of unnecessary demands and clinging to personal desires which are often the cause of friction in interpersonal relationships. When we mistakenly imagine that others are our source of happiness or security, we can be afraid of growth or change—either theirs or our own. When we know God as the Source of all that is needed, we can celebrate growth and change because it does not, and cannot, threaten our direct connection with the source of our well-being. One Life, one Power, one Presence expresses as all that is. As we behold this One in all, commit ourselves to interacting in the highest way, and are guided by the inner light of realization, all our relations are blessed.

Think About It: Although the connection between social support/relationships and emotional/psychological health has been well documented, more recent literature has also focused on the connection between social support/relationships and physical health (Valliant, Meyer, Mukamal,&Soldz, 1998). This research has shown that certain relationship characteristics serve as protective functions against physical disease/illnesses and their outcomes. These characteristics include “family closeness and connectedness, problem focused family coping skills, clear family organization and decision making, and direct communication” -The Connection Between Relationships and Physical Health, from BC Council for Families @ bccf.ca

Be Inspired: It is not for the sake of the husband that the husband is dear, but for the sake of the Self that the husband is dear. It is not for the sake of the wife that the wife is dear, but for the sake of the Self that the wife is dear…it is not for the sake of everything that everything is dear, but for the sake of the Self is everything dear. -Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad

Day Forty-Three: Breaking Contact with Pain

The Sanskrit word “yoga” is rich with meaning, giving rise to several definitions. One of the definitions is: Yoga is breaking contact with pain. This definition points to the essence of yoga practice which is removing our identification with the mutable body and mind. Pain, or suffering, ultimately results from attachment to anything that is subject to change. Instead of being identified with the mortal, changeable body-mind, the yogi is advised to identify with the unchanging, immortal reality of Supreme Consciousness, our essential nature. This practice of removing our awareness from fragmented states of consciousness and instead abiding in wholeness is to be approached fearlessly with determination and firm resolve.

On first examination it seems odd that we would need any encouragement at all to seek freedom from pain, let alone it requiring strong determination. However, when we look into the nature of mind and its component ego, we can see that the illusional sense of separate self depends on identification with pain and suffering. This is one of its key props used to maintain a particular identity. The illusional sense of self is constructed with the building blocks of our likes and dislikes. Those likes and dislikes, or attractions and aversions, then become the connectors to
pain and suffering. From the perspective of ego, if we have what we like, we are happy; if we lose it, we suffer in some way or another. If we are faced with what we don’t like and would rather avoid, we experience the pain of unhappiness. So while it seems completely reasonable to want to break contact with suffering, what must go along with it is the baggage of ego identity.

Sometimes people cling to suffering and pain because they don’t know who they could be without it. As it says in the Tao te Ching: The great way is easy, yet people prefer the side paths. The way of awakening to the unchanging reality of our true nature and breaking contact with suffering is easy, yet we may prefer the side paths of maintaining an ego identity that uses suffering to define it. Who are we if not our stories of what happened to us today, or all of our yesterdays combined?

The instruction to pursue this practice with a mind that is not dismayed but optimistically determined indicates the resolve necessary to become free from suffering. Like training a puppy to sit before he is given a treat, the wandering mind must be restrained with clear intent, otherwise it moves back into the conditioned pattern of identifying with fragmented states of awareness. Clear awareness, abiding in being, is the goal along with the ability to distinguish between the fragmented and clear states of awareness.
Once the mind is sufficiently trained through the fearless practice of yoga to abide in Superconscious awareness it will naturally seek wholeness. The refined joy of abiding in the Self becomes more attractive than the pain that props up the ego.

Think About It: A recent study on mood and performance, found that people are better at creative problem solving when they’re in a good mood than when they’re in a bad mood or just feeling so-so. In the study, participants were first put in a good mood by listening to some uplifting music (a stirring Mozart piece), then watching a funny YouTube video (a laughing baby); other participants were put in a bad mood by listening to some sad music and watching a depressing video, while still others were exposed to music and video that didn’t affect their mood. Then they had to master a tricky cognitive task that required flexible thinking. Participants in a positive mood performed better than participants in a negative or neutral mood on the task. –from Psychological Science, reported in ngreatergood.berkeley.edu

Be Inspired: Let this removal of awareness from pain be known as yoga, to be optimistically practiced with resolved intention.
–Bhagavad Gita, 6.23 (tr. Roy Eugene Davis)

Day Forty-Two: Four Stages of Life

Vedic teachings offer a model for a lifetime of spiritually conscious, purposeful living by suggesting that we view our lives with four significant stages. These stages are related to age and to the physical, psychological, and spiritual developmental tasks required of us to mature, express our innate potential and fulfill our divine destiny. The core focus of this life plan is to provide a supportive structure and encourage us to arrange conditions to experience Self-realization, or enlightenment, in this lifetime. Life is seen through the lens of spiritual purpose focused on that goal while in the world doing what we are called to do, and required to do, at different times.

The first stage of life is the stage of the student or brahmacharya. Brahmacharya indicates celibacy (which is appropriate in this early stage of life), but also in its expanded definition, it means “to walk with God.” This time relates to life as a child and young adult. It is the first twenty or twenty-five years of life when one is primarily engaged in study—learning the skills and spiritual philosophy that will support a lifetime of conscious living. In this stage, the primary task is to mature and learn self-discipline with particular emphasis on physical, mental and moral disciplines. We are learning about life, about family, community, vocation, and how to live effectively.

The second stage is that of the householder or grihastha—generally from twenty-five to fifty or sixty years of age. This is the primary time of family, civic, and spiritual responsibility. Our spiritual practice is a thread that runs through all of our activities, infusing them with higher purpose so that we do not lose sight of the goal of life. The task at this stage is learning selfless service and generous giving that purifies the ego and makes a positive contribution to society. Householders have a place of particular significance in this four stage pattern. They are principally the ones who are engaged in supporting others at this juncture. It is their work, energy and finances that support family, societal needs, and the well-being of their spiritual communities. They are the “pillars” of community and family life. The challenge at this stage is to remain spiritually centered, to not get lost in one’s family life or vocation but to understand that this too is a passing stage in life. This stage is one that people may desperately cling to if they do not see the greater spiritual plan for their lives. When the children are grown and move on and the time for retirement comes, without the perspective of the other stages in life, there are those who feel “life” is over at this point. They become depressed or engage in behaviors that reveal they are trying to cling to a stage of life that has passed. Understanding the beauty and
higher purpose of the natural stages of life helps us let go gracefully from each stage and progress to the next.

The third stage is one called the forest-dweller, hermitage or vanaprastha period. This is a time when our focus becomes more interiorized and more time is made available for meditation and spiritual study. For those in the West, this time roughly coincides with retirement, with the age period ranging from fifty or sixty to seventy-five. With family and community, one now
occupies the role of wise elder or mentor. The forest-dweller name refers to the central task of this stage which is to simplify our lifestyle and to seek surroundings that are quiet and conducive to contemplation and meditation.

The fourth stage is that of the sannyasin or renunciate, generally the time period ranging from seventy-five to one hundred plus years. In this period, one renounces all worldly goals and is focused solely on spiritual realization. One in this stage has let go of professional and community roles and is free to engage as a spiritual teacher, assisting others by sharing spiritual realization through knowledge and transmission of awakened consciousness. The task of this stage is to be supremely free.

When we become aware of this divine pattern for truly fulfilled living, it can help us at any stage. Whatever age we are, we can reflect on the responsibilities and obligations we have, and commit ourselves to fulfilling life’s greatest duty—to be Self- and God-realized in this lifetime.

Think About It: A householder asked Sri Ramakrishna, “Can we realize God?” “Why not? Sri Ramakrishna replied, God is your own self, the Self of your self…[The] Only necessary changes you must adopt [are] in your life. Then it will be possible.” In this way, spiritual growth will become the key words of human development hereafter. Along with nphysical and intellectual growth, there must be stress on spiritual growth. n“Have I grown spiritually?” Everyone must ask this question. –Swami Ranganathananda

Be Inspired: Retirement means abidance in the Self. Nothing more. It is not leaving one set of surroundings and getting entangled in another set, nor even leaving the concrete world and becoming involved in a mental world.
–Ramana Maharshi

Day Forty-One: Renounce and Enjoy

Renunciation, letting go of our attachment to particular outcomes, is the key to being able to truly enjoy life. Our degree of attachment to things and to outcomes can be a ready measure for our spiritual progress and degree of true realization. We may be pretty proficient at meditation techniques and able to understand yoga philosophy but if we need things to be a certain way for us to be content, then the goal of the practice is not yet realized. Only through renunciation can we experience peace of mind that is consistent. Without renunciation, we are elated when things go the way we planned and despondent or angry when they don’t. All of the peace gathered on the meditation cushion in the morning is blown away in the afternoon wind of
something not turning out “right.”

Discernment about the nature of our efforts can be helpful for learning how to let go of clinging to outcomes. With any action we undertake, there are several factors to consider. Some of those are within our domain of control but others are not. We plan, we select materials, and we engage in work or action. Even when we do everything to the best of our ability there is always an unseen factor involved as well. This “unseen factor” is beyond our control. Consider a farmer who plans for a harvest, selects the seed, plants at the right time and in the right way, cultivates the ground, and tends the plants. But the unseen factor—perhaps weather conditions, water conditions or insect populations—will affect the farmer’s yield for good or for ill. Being aware that there is always an “unseen factor” helps us to understand the wisdom of letting go of particular outcomes. Working in the highest way is to do what we do with integrity, do the best that we possibly can, and then let go of the outcome.

People sometimes wonder if this isn’t giving up on having goals to succeed. It is not. We still set goals. However, we cease to attach our success to particular outcomes. Our relationship is with Spirit. We do what we do with an inner harmony, an awareness of our true nature as one with God. We trust that working in harmony with divine will yields success, sometimes in the way we envisioned and other times in surprising ways that we could not have anticipated.

With the practice of renunciation we take refuge in Spirit, and do not identify ourselves with the forces of nature and the dance of change that is its way. We rely on God, trusting the divine order of things. This ability to trust God, to trust Life, is fundamental to a peaceful mind. Without this deeper trust, the mind reels at every turn in the road. When the mind is restless, there is no inner peace. When there is no inner peace, there can be no joy.

Think About It: The ideal inspiration-to-right-action is to cheerfully do as duty what needs to be done. In this way, we can be inwardly peaceful at all times. Without this kind of discipline, we may be inclined to remain in bondage to desires, to performance of actions which can make possible fulfillment of desire, and to the end results of such actions. The devotee should meditate daily as spiritual duty, disregarding thoughts or feelings which might tempt one to do otherwise.
–Roy Eugene Davis, from The Eternal Way: Inner Meaning of the Bhagavad Gita

Be Inspired: Renunciation does not imply apparent divesting of costumes, family ties, home, etc., but renunciation of desires, affection and attachment. There is no need to resign your job, only resign yourself to God, the bearer of the burden of all. –Ramana Maharshi

Day Forty: Soul Guidance

Once we start looking for inner guidance, we naturally wonder how to tell when that guidance is right or if it is indeed “higher guidance.” How can we tell the difference between what comes from clear discernment or divine intuition and ego-driven ideas? What is the proof of authority or authenticity? Truth itself is the authority. When guidance is revealed that is aligned with Truth, we know it. It really is that simple.

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote in his essay on the Oversoul: The soul is the perceiver and revealer of truth. We know truth when we see it, let skeptic and scoffer say what they choose. Foolish people ask you, when you have spoken what they do not wish to hear, 'How do you know it is truth, and not an error of your own?' We know truth when we see it, from opinion, as we know when we are awake that we are awake…

We recognize truth by what it is itself. It comes to us wholly, with a sense of peace and completeness. We inwardly sense the rightness of it. We may not know with specificity what the guidance means, where it will lead us, or exactly how what we are facing will be resolved, but we know that guidance has been received. If we can trust it, and live according to what know is true, we will find that all unfolds in graceful harmony, in a divine order.

Knowing how to follow divine guidance may falter this point for those who don’t understand how it works. They receive higher guidance but they don’t trust it to unfold as influence. Instead they keep stirring up the mind with questions like what should I say or what should I do? They don’t understand the oneness of things—how the change in consciousness will impact the situation. Instead, they keep looking at the situation, and ignoring the source where real change occurs.

As Emerson observed, The soul answers never by words, but by the thing itself that is inquired after. Soul guidance always comes as the sense of fulfillment itself, a sense of completeness, or of knowing. Rarely does such divine guidance appear as mundane instruction about what to do. Instead, it comes as peace. It comes as love. It comes as truth. It comes bearing our divine nature itself. It comes as an invitation to abide in our essential wholeness and to let right action naturally unfold. Here, it says. Here. Abide here. And if we will but abide there, in that answer which is Truth, the rest of the guidance comes exactly when it is needed. Paramahansa Yogananda reflected on how his experiences of superconscious meditation provided guidance in this way. He wrote: I do realize now that I have found god, for whenever the joy of meditation has returned subconsciously during my active hours, I have been subtly directed to adopt the right course in everything, even in minor details.

Abiding in divine consciousness we know what to say when it is time to say it. We know where to go when it is time to go. We know what to do when it is time to do it. We already know.

Think About It: The difference between intuition and will-power is this: intuition sees the Truth; will-power wants to become the Truth…Imagination is not intuition. Inspiration is not intuition. Aspiration is not intuition. But when intuition presents imagination with the Truth, imagination expands the Truth. When intuition presents inspiration with the Truth, inspiration soulfully embraces the Truth. When intuition presents aspiration with the Truth, aspiration devotedly devours the Truth.
–Sri Chinmoy, from yogaofsrichinmoy.com

Be Inspired: Intuition is soul guidance, appearing naturally in man during those instants when his mind is calm....The goal of yoga science is to calm the mind, that without distortion it may hear the infallible counsel of the Inner Voice.
–Paramahansa Yogananda

Day Thirty Nine: How to Receive Divine Guidance

Paramahansa Yogananda’s guru, Sri Yukteswar, counseled him, “Human life is beset with sorrow until we know how to tune in with the Divine Will, whose ‘right course’ is often baffling to the egoistic intelligence.” It is useful to consider how we can “tune in with divine will.” What obscures inner guidance? What supports our receptivity to it?

Because God, the Supreme Reality, is our life and expresses through us, at the core of our being, we always know what is necessary, what is right, what is good, what is loving, what is true, what is highest and best. “Instant guidance” for right thought and right action is ever available to us but we do not always connect with it.

What interferes with our ability to receive higher guidance? The primary obstacle to accessing divine guidance is clinging to the mistaken sense that we are separate from the source of existence. Approaching our search for divine guidance while clinging to an ego-based identity sets up a barrier to receiving what we seek. To effectively receive divine guidance we must be able to search within our own consciousness, not seek outside of ourselves. Higher guidance comes from within.

When our awareness is identified with the ego, various impediments to receiving divine guidance arise. They are:

• Attachment or aversion to certain outcomes. When we mentally cling to what we want or reject what we believe is undesirable there is not sufficient openness for new guidance to arise. We must be completely willing to be guided to a new outcome. The premise is simple: we can’t experience guidance when we aren’t really open to it.
• Egotism, or an inflated sense of self-importance. Egotism differs from, but is an extension of, egoism, the illusional sense of separate existence. When egotism comes into play in our search for guidance, we already think we know best and are generally looking for confirmation of our predetermined ideas. There is no sense in asking for guidance when we are convinced we already know what is best.
• Fear or lack of courage to change. Fear or worry produces restless thoughts that cloud the mental field. This obscures the subtle perception of inner wisdom. To successfully access inner guidance we must be able to let our thoughts subside and allow the mental field to become clear. We must also have the courage to make any necessary changes.
• Impatience. While inner guidance does occur “instantly” as soon as we abide in superconsciousness, it may take a little time and practice to experience that level of clear knowing. It is helpful to assume that guidance is already given. Affirm that it is imminent. Then wait with expectation while becoming more inwardly focused.

Our receptivity to inner guidance rests on our ability to meditate deeply, to access our innate wholeness and sense of complete well-being. Several factors which are supportive of deep meditation also assist us with becoming more receptive to guidance. They are:

• Surrender of the illusional belief that we are separate from the Source. Once we discern and experience the Reality called God as our life, we recognize that it must offer the highest good for us. Sometimes people fear divine guidance because they imagine that God’s will may not be the best for them. The one Reality called God cannot be in opposition to our essential Self because it cannot oppose itself. It cannot be divided against itself.
• Willingness. To receive divine guidance requires us to be fully open to change, to be curious about the good, to be willing to inquire into what is really true, and to seek God’s will for our lives.
• Trust. Guidance comes most readily when we expect it, when we trust that it is already present. Our part is simply to improve our listening, and to affirm that we have the capacity to know what is true when it is revealed and we experience it for ourselves.
• Contentment. The ability to be patient and to be content with the way that things are while we open ourselves to new possibilities helps to keep the mental field calm and receptive to new inspiration.
• Steady practice. When we meditate daily, frequently use our discriminative wisdom to inquire about right action and open ourselves to new insights, we become familiar with accessing our inner resources. Guidance may then arise more quickly. Our ability to discern it also improves.

Once we decide we are ready to live our lives in harmony with divine will and cultivate the necessary openness to receive it, the activity of divine grace will support us. What we need will be revealed to us as it is needed. Life becomes infused with joy.

Think About It: Only the habit of mind-body identification keeps us from awareness of omnipresence. We are, as spiritual being, as omnipresent as God is omnipresent. Omnipresence can be reclaimed by contemplative meditation and spontaneous episodes of cosmic consciousness which may unfold at any time. Every soul eventually has awareness restored to absolute freedom because of the innate urge to realize it, and the contributing influences of evolution and grace.
–Roy Eugene Davis, from A Master Guide to Meditation

Be Inspired: After the mind has been cleared by Kriya Yoga of sensory obstacles, meditation furnishes a twofold proof of God. Ever-new joy is evidence of God’s existence, convincing to our very atoms. Also, in meditation one finds instant guidance, God’s adequate response to every difficulty.
–Sri Yukteswar

Day Thirty Eight: Meditation and Nonviolence

The commitment to embody nonviolence, to live with love and compassion, requires skill and practice. We must have congruent speech and action and be aware of their more subtle counterparts—thought, will, motive and intention. Once we are aware of the continuum of intentions, thoughts, speech, action and external response we have the ability to circumvent violence from coming to fruition. The step beyond that is equally as important—to consciously supplant the seeds of violence with those of nonviolence that will then bear the fruit of harmonious right action. The manifestation of nonviolent means rests upon inner unity, the authentic expression of the highest good, the spark of divine love activated in the soul. Thomas Merton noted, “Gandhi’s spirit of nonviolence sprang from an inner realization of spiritual unity in himself. The whole Gandhian concept of nonviolent action and satyagraha is incomprehensible if it is thought to be a means of achieving unity rather than as the fruit of inner unity already achieved.” To be able to quiet the body and mind and experience inner silence (the peace of the soul) is the key to facilitating that unity. One is then capable of accessing the inner wisdom and discernment that is critical to nonviolent action and the pursuit of truth.

Gandhiji observed, “It has often occurred to me that a seeker after truth has to be silent. I know the wonderful efficacy of silence…What a great thing it would be if we in our busy lives could retire into ourselves each day for at least a couple of hours and prepare our minds to listen in to the Voice of the Great Silence. The Divine Radio is always singing if we could only make ourselves ready to listen to it, but it is impossible to listen without silence…It (silence) has now become both a physical and spiritual necessity for me.” Testimony to the physical and spiritual usefulness of meditative silence that Gandhi spoke of has gone beyond the subjective experience of those who embrace the practice; it has now entered the arena of scientific study.

Through such technological advances as electroencephalography (EEG), which measures the electrical activity of different parts of the brain, we have the benefit of being able to observe predictable physiological changes in meditators. Current brain research is beginning to produce concrete evidence for what many practitioners of meditation have maintained for centuries: Mental discipline and meditative practice can change the workings of the brain and allow people to achieve different levels of awareness. Though such research is still in its infancy, the initial results are encouraging both in terms of the ability to record the perceptible change in awareness that occurs during meditation itself and in what now appears to be the actual restructuring of the brain, which impacts our ability to choose a nonviolent response. Joel Stein, in an article published in Time magazine notes, “Tests using the most sophisticated imaging techniques suggest that it [meditation] can actually reset the brain, changing the point at which a traffic jam, for instance, sets the blood boiling.” Research indicates that meditation helps to evolve the brain from its ancient fight or flight reaction to stress to the ability to maintain equanimity, thus facilitating a greater conscious choice making capacity. The efficacy of this particular skill for practitioners of nonviolence is considerable. Skillful response requires skillful means and practice. Through a simple technique of daily meditation such skillful means are freely available to the average person today, regardless of social standing or religious belief and offer to all a beacon of hope for building a culture of peace and nonviolence. What is required is the commitment to cultivating inner silence and receptivity to truth, a simple technique, and the willingness to submit oneself to the discipline of attentive awareness.

Through practice, discipline, and grace, one can learn to achieve at will a state of focused mental alertness, a state where body and mind unite as one laser beam of power and awareness. When attention is focused in meditation, the mental field becomes calm and the light of the soul shines forth. This spiritual light removes our fears, makes known our deepest intentions, illumines the path of right action, and shows us the way to live with the integrity that is essential to nonviolence.

Think About It: Look at the pathology of violence. Being violent brings about a complete change in our biology. The muscles get an extra dose of blood and become tense. The adrenals give out extra secretion, which mixes with the blood and pumps in an excess of energy in the system. The liver too releases an extra energy in the system. The liver too releases an extra quantity of sugar in the blood stream. It brings about physical, psychological and chemical reactions. With the rise of aggressiveness breathing becomes fast. The normal rate of 10 to 15 breaths a minute goes up to 30 or 40. The stage is fully set for letting loose violence. Meditation puts the brakes on the over-busyness of the body and the mind and thus prevents violence.
—Acharya Mahapragya, from jainworld.com

Be Inspired: Silence is a great help to a seeker after truth. In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life is a long and arduous quest after Truth, and the soul requires inward restfulness to attain its full height. – Mahatma Gandhi 10 December 1938

Day Thirty Seven: Four Easy Steps to Meditation

There are four steps to practicing meditation: establish a conducive environment both externally and internally; practice a technique such as watching the breath or repeating a mantra in order to focus the attention on a single point; surrender, by letting go into the peak experience of meditative awareness; and finally, consciously bring the attention back to mind and body with a sense of appreciation and renewal.

It is helpful to set aside a regular time and place for meditation. If you are able to devote an area of your home for daily practice, the energy of your devotion will permeate the space and positively influence your sessions. Because meditation provides a wonderful sense of clarity and perspective, it is helpful to begin your day, first thing, with meditation before becoming involved with other matters.

When the sage Ramana Maharshi was asked about the best posture for meditation he replied that it is the posture in which the mind is still. Meditation can be practiced seated on the floor, on a cushion, or in a chair. The posture should be relaxed but firm, with the spinal column straight. This posture reflects the quality of mind that is most conducive to meditative awareness—a firm intention to experience God or Truth, balanced with peaceful surrender to divine grace and timing.

Begin meditation by closing your eyes and drawing your attention within. Offer a prayer of attunement, acknowledging the presence of God, the saints and sages, the divine nature of all beings, and the spiritual nature of your own soul. Most importantly, feel your connection to God and to all of life. Inwardly walk through the temple door of God’s omnipresence and experience yourself praying “in” God rather than “to” God. Know that God is nearer than your heartbeat, the essence of your being.

Inwardly direct your gaze toward the spiritual eye, the point between the eyebrows. Focus awareness on your breath, noticing the experience of inhalation and exhalation. Whenever you become involved in thoughts, gently return your attention to the breath. After a while, breathing slows down and becomes shallow, thought activity decreases, and moments of calm, pure, awareness are revealed.

As the experience of peace deepens, let go of watching the breath and rest in meditative awareness. When the attention wanders to thoughts again, you can return to the breath, or begin to conclude your meditation by bringing awareness back to body and mind. Before concluding, make a conscious effort to deeply feel the peace you have gathered within. Know that peace is innate, a divine quality. Feel that you are refreshed, renewed, and ready to start your day with peace as your companion. Pray for others and the world. Consciously affirm the graceful unfolding of divine purpose and the highest good for all. As you perform your activities, carry the effects of meditation with you and return to the awareness of the divine presence throughout the day.

Think About It: New research suggests that mindfulness meditation can have benefits for health and performance, including improved immune function, reduced blood pressure and enhanced cognitive function. The study, published in the latest issue of the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science, draws on existing scientific literature to attempt to explain the positive effects.

The goal of this work, according to author Britta Hazel, of Justus Liebig University and Harvard Medical School, is to "unveil the conceptual and mechanistic complexity of mindfulness, providing the big picture by arranging many findings like the pieces of a mosaic." The authors specifically identify four key components of "mindfulness" - the state of meditation - that may account for its effects: attention regulation, body awareness, emotion regulation, and sense of self. Together, these help us deal with the effects of stress.
–from telegraph.co.uk/healthnews (11.03/11)

Be Inspired: Meditation practice removes our awareness from limiting conditions, enabling us to acknowledge and experience ourselves as spiritual beings independent of relative circumstances. We become enabled to view ourselves in relationship to the universe form a higher perspective, to choose our thoughts and actions and to flow with the rhythms of life with natural ease. Meditators can learn to prosper: to thrive, to flourish, and be successful in all aspects of their lives.
–Roy Eugene Davis

Day Thirty Six: Discover Your Work

What we do and how we do it profoundly affects our lives. At this time of spiritual awakening in our world, many people are not only working more, they are asking more of their work. Those who are interested in living an awakened life, a life in harmony with their true nature, are asking important questions about their relationship to work. They are looking for work that is soul satisfying, stirs the divine creative powers within and makes a positive contribution to life. Success in terms of right work is measured beyond meeting basic security needs or reaching the heights of fame or fortune. Some questions that can be asked as we explore the topic of discovering our right work are: Beyond the purely pragmatic concerns of livelihood, what am I working for? What makes my heart sing with joy? Would I find some way to do the work I currently do if I was not paid for it? What difference does my engagement in this particular work make to others or to the world? Is this work conducive to my spiritual growth?

When contemplating the topic of work, people sometimes wonder: Am I in my right place? They question whether the particular work they do is the best environment for their skills and interests. With this question, there is an assumption that for each person there is a “right place” which will be a perfect match for them. Yet we cannot be any place other than our right place. Our right place according to spiritual principle will always be the out picturing of our consciousness, the outer reflection of our mental impressions and beliefs. Whatever situation we are in is the place that rightly reflects our current state of consciousness. If we want to find a place that offers more opportunity, more joy, or more meaning, then we must first find that place in ourselves by discovering it in consciousness. The manifestation of our right place comes from the inner realization of it; we can’t find a “right place” outside of our own consciousness.

As we begin to awaken spiritually, we may experience that circumstances which were once satisfying or acceptable to us no longer seem appropriate. This may be a call to grow, to make the necessary adjustments both in consciousness and in circumstances. But too often when this call to grow comes, people take action only outwardly without also tending to the necessary inner work. They feel dissatisfied with their work and simply change jobs without contemplating what the real need is or doing the inner work to either transform the situation they are in or attract a more suitable position. People are then surprised that the job change they thought would be fulfilling turns out to be less than satisfactory. This may happen because even though the growth indicator was there—the feeling of dissatisfaction—the change that was made was only an outer move. And sooner or later, without the requisite inner change, the situation will prove untenable.

When we inquire within to contemplate the right work for us, we should ask: What is the divine will for my life? What is the divine possibility for my work? Ask to know the highest good for your life. When you have a sense of that possibility, then know that your true work rests on the willingness to do whatever it takes to grow and to express that potential. Our true work is being willing to express our divine potential, to be the “growing edge of God” in the world, as God is expressing as us. The particular job that is for us is not the issue; it already exists. Once we bring forth the potential to match it, we will not miss it. To find our right work, we must look inside to its origin and be willing to become what it requires. Our right work is not a job. Our right work is to grow along spiritual lines, to become the hero of our own existence; to risk becoming all we can be.

Think About It: When author and business consultant Srikumar Rao was asked what someone could do to find more happiness at work he responded: I think the single most important thing that we can do is to recognize that we do not live in a real world; we live in a construct, and we made it. That’s actually a hugely liberating concept because if what we live in is the reality, then we’re stuck; there’s nothing we can do about it, grin and bear it. But if what we’re living in is a reality, then there’s a lot we can do about it. We can deconstruct the parts of it that are not working, that we don’t like, and build it up again.
–from greatergood.berkeley.edu.com

Be Inspired: Your work is to discover your work and with all of your heart to give yourself to it.
-Sayings of the Buddha from the Dhammapada

Day Thirty Five: Meditation upon Sri Yantra

There are many tools in the world’s mystical traditions to assist the seeker to enter the clear awareness of meditation. Chants, prayers, visualization of sacred images, prescribed movements such as the dances of the Sufi dervishes or the prostrations of the Buddhists or Muslims, and holy rituals are a few such methods to still the mind. Sacred images in the form of mandalas or yantras may also be used.

Many people in the West are familiar with mandalas (Sanskrit word meaning “sacred circle”) seen in the sacred art of the Tibetan and American Indian traditions. Mandalas and Yantras are similar in their purpose and use for worship and visualization. Mandalas are generally more pictorial, with the circle as the primary enclosure. Yantras typically have a geometric design with an outer square enclosure with circles, triangles, lotus petals, and a bindu, or seed point, at the center.

Yantra is a Sanskrit word meaning “to compel” or “to restrain.” A yantra is used to restrain or compel the attention of a meditator, who approaches it as a tool for bringing the mind to the still point of meditation. It is a potent instrument or device used for concentration and visualization. The yantra is a symbol of holy ground; viewing it prepares the mind of the devotee to be transformed into holy ground itself, an instrument fit for direct perception of truth. CSE’s Temple of the Eternal Way is blessed with a Sri Yantra that can be seen above the altar.

The Sri Yantra (or Sri Chakra) is a mystic diagram that symbolizes the unfoldment of creation, or cosmic manifestation. Its precise origins are not known but it is associated with worship of the Divine Mother, or the Mother Goddess and with Vedic teachings.

As a mystical representation of creation, yantras express an energy pattern, or mantra. The Sri Yantra represents the mantra Aum, the primal sound of creation and with it the process of spiritual awakening or Self-realization. As the key to cosmic consciousness is turned through contemplation and meditation, one experiences the direct perception of Truth and the inner meaning of the yantra is revealed. In her book Mandala: Luminous Symbols for Healing, author Judith Cornell, Ph.D. writes: “…Sri Chakra represents Self-realization and is formed from the mantric sound pattern of Aum. Its sacred geometry symbolizes the feminine creative aspect of sacred sound out of which the many manifestations of Divinity are mirrored back as patterns of light…the mantric sound of Aum is not exclusive to either the Tibetan or Hindu tantric traditions. It is universal and can be used as a powerful healing mantra for anyone.” Paramahansa Yogananda described Aum, as “The basis of all sounds; universal symbol-word for God. Aum of the Vedas became the sacred word Hum of the Tibetans; Amin of the Moslems; and Amen of the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Jews, and Christians. Aum is the all-pervading sound emanating from the … Invisible Cosmic Vibration; God in the aspect of Creator.”

The Sri Yantra may be meditated upon as a representation of the universe as macrocosm and the human body as microcosm. As a macrocosmic image, it represents the union of Consciousness and Energy, or the masculine and feminine divine principles that comprise all of creation. The four upward triangles represent Shiva, or the Divine Masculine, the return of divine power to the Source, and the five downward triangles represent Shakti, or the Divine Feminine, the descent of Spirit into matter. The interplay of Shiva/Shakti gives rise to forty-three triangles, which symbolize the wholeness of existence. At the center of the yantra, the bindu, or seed-point, represents the still point of Supreme Consciousness—infinite divine potential with the power of manifestation at rest. As the individual soul is an expression of Supreme Consciousness, the yantra may also be viewed as the human temple of Spirit, where the bindu point expresses the devotee’s own being or consciousness.

As a tool for meditation, one may contemplate the process of cosmic creation as emanating from the one still point of Supreme Consciousness in the interplay of divine masculine and feminine polarities as well as contemplating its return to the Source. It may also be considered as a map, allowing one to travel in mind and consciousness from the outer expressions of God to the inner realm of divine communion. Contained within its symbolism are the processes and categories of cosmic manifestation as well as the esoteric teachings regarding the subtle energy pathways known as chakras.

Think About It: The image of the mystical mansion, the abode of the divine Self, is a universal image. St. Teresa of Avila used it in her writings on prayer: “I began to think of the soul as if it were a castle made of a single diamond or of very clear crystal, in which there are many rooms, just as in Heaven there are many mansions. Let us now imagine that this castle … contains many mansions, some above, others below, others at each side; and in the centre and midst of them all is the chiefest mansion where the most secret things pass between God and the soul.”
–St. Teresa, Interior Castle

Be Inspired: The universe is a great yantra of incredible power and intricate beauty that one can contemplate forever. –David Frawley